Stream Bank and Buffer Improvements at Public Works

Funding: ~$9,000 from the US Environmental Protection Agency through the Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation and in-kind contributions from the City of Harrisonburg and volunteers.

Volunteers: Streaks Serve the Burg (Harrisonburg High School football team service group), and Blacks Run Clean Up Day volunteers.

This stream bank planting project occurred behind the City of Harrisonburg's Public Works Department. The department's property contains a large gravel parking lot that houses a variety of municipal vehicles and whose stormwater drains to Blacks Run. Stream impacts have been reduced and stream health improved by increasing and improving the vegetative buffer between the municipal lot and the stream. The following activities took place:

A 10 ft width and 50 ft length strip of asphalt adjacent to the stream was removed and planted with native trees and shrubs to increase the vegetative buffer.

A variety of native riparian vegetation was planted within an approximately 1,000 linear foot section of the stream, with 20 ft width that will help stabilize the stream banks and filter sheet flowed stormwater.

March 2008. Gravel area removed. Being prepared for seeding and planting.